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Primary sourceSpeech12 February 1878

Speeches on the Address, February 1878, Tupper, Jones and Macdonald

Charles Tupper · 12 February 1878

A printed Hansard report of parliamentary speeches on the Address in February 1878, including remarks by Charles Tupper and a speech by Macdonald on public finance.

This Hansard report includes a speech by Macdonald on public finance, showing him defending his government in the Commons in 1878.

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Speeches on the Address, February 1878, Tupper, Jones and MacdonaldPDF · 74 pages
Charles Tupper, Speeches on the address, February 1878, Hansard report. Internet Archive scan.

About this source

What it is

This is a printed Hansard report of speeches on the Address in the House of Commons of Canada, dated Tuesday, 12 February 1878. The title names Hon. Dr. Tupper, Hon. Mr. Jones and Sir John A. Macdonald. The scanned copy is on the Internet Archive, and its subject tags include public finance.

Why it matters

In the opening pages, Tupper says he has rarely heard a speech in Parliament as strange as the one just delivered. He challenges a member of the government who claimed that the party stood by principles. The report gives a sense of the sharp exchanges in the Commons in 1878, the year Macdonald returned to office after a period out of power. Macdonald's speech on public finance is part of the same record.

Look closer

  • What words does Tupper use to criticize the speech he has just heard, and why?
  • Which claims in Macdonald's speech on finance would you check against other records?
  • Why might a printed report like this be made, and who would read it?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sir John A. Macdonald on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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